Werder Bremen scraps US trip over political concerns
SV Werder Bremen, a Bundesliga outfit, has abandoned its scheduled visit to the United States, which included a friendly in the troubled city of Minneapolis, owing to various political factors, according to a club representative speaking to AFP on Saturday.
The team had been organising a pre-season excursion for May, featuring exhibition matches in Minneapolis and Detroit, ahead of the 2026 World Cup hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
However, the club has decided against proceeding, stating that such a journey would clash with their core principles.
In recent weeks, thousands of agents from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency have been stationed in Minneapolis as part of President Donald Trumps immigration enforcement drive.
Back in January, two US nationals, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, lost their lives in shootings amid widespread demonstrations opposing the ICE operations in the area.
When queried by AFP regarding the tour, the representative verified its cancellation, attributing it to sporting, financial, and political considerations, and remarked: Playing in a location experiencing turmoil and violence, including fatalities, aligns poorly with our ethos.
An additional concern involved the updated US visa protocols, which now entail scrutiny of applicants social media histories.
We were uncertain about which squad members might even gain admission to the country under these tougher regulations, the representative explained.
At present, Bremen occupies 16th position, facing a relegation play-off, and the representative noted that the risk of dropping down the leagues complicated logistics and introduced notable financial uncertainties.
It is common for European teams to embark on summer tours to the US for valuable playing time and to enhance their global presence.
As four-time winners of the German title, with their most recent Bundesliga success in 2004, Bremen stands out as one of Germanys more socially engaged clubs, frequently addressing public matters.
During 2024, Bremen joined a select group of German teams in exiting X, once called Twitter, criticising it for fostering hate speech, discrimination against minorities, extremist content, and misinformation since Elon Musks takeover.
The day before, Bremens manager Daniel Thioune commented on the racism incident involving Vinicius Junior.
The Brazilian star claimed that Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni subjected him to racial insults, specifically calling him a monkey, during Real Madrids narrow 1-0 victory in Lisbon on Tuesday, and reported it to the match official during an altercation with the Argentine player.
As the inaugural German-born Black head coach in the nations professional leagues, Thioune asserted that racism has no role in football or in society at large.